Method for producing an artificial wood composition



Patented Aug. 30, 1932 UNITED- "STAT-ES Louis VEZEKENYI, or CLEVELAND, OHIO.

METHOD FOR PRODUCING AN ARTIFIcIAnwoon COMPOSITION No Drawing.

My invention relates to the manufacture of an artificial wood composition, and more particularly to a cold process of making an artificial wood composition of substantial strength and durability in a rapid and economical way and in different forms and complex shapes. In practicing I have found that some of the ingredients must be mixed in a certain sequence to efiect a chemical reaction in order to produce a product possessing the desired qualities and properties, all as hereinafter shown and described and more particularly pointed out in the claims. The composition comprises sawdust 62 parts, glue l5 18.5 parts, alum 0.5 parts, borax 0.5 parts, zinc oxide or lead oxide 0.5 parts, carbolic acid or sodium fluoride 0.5 parts, chromic acid 0.5 parts, water approximately 22 parts.

These ingredients are mixed in the following way, say in preparing a batch of 100 pounds of materials. Thus, the first step consists in dissolving one-half pound powdered borax and one-half pound powdered alum in sufiicient water (say 1 pound or pint) of room temperature to form a thin liquid, of milk-like consistency and appearance. This liquid may be referred to as the borax-alum mixture. As the next step one-half pound zinc oxide or one-half pound lead oxide is added to one-half pound or pint of water of room temperature to provide a second mixture, which may be termed the zinc oxide and water mixture. These two independent mixtures are then mixed together to produce a 35 combination of value and utility for further admixture with other ingredients. Thus, in mixing the borax-alum solution with the zinc oxide and water mixture a chemical reaction is noted by the self-working of the materials and by the heat generated for an interval. The combined mixture *C is now poured into a cold glue solution of 13.5 pounds glue and 19.5 pounds water, and thoroughly stirred to produce a fourth compound which is thicker and flows less freely Application filed. October 12, 1927. Serial No. 225,855.

than the previous mixtures. 1 then mix one half-pound chromic acid, one-half pound carbolic acid, and one pound water thoroughly, and pour the same into the fourth compound, whereupon I add sawdust in preponderating amount, say 68 pounds of sawdust to a mixture composed as'stated' The whole substance is then and for a short period rapidly mixed and stirred up in a mechanical mixingdevice; This stirring operation is F7 preferably'of very short duration, say from 5 to 30 seconds. If unduly'prolonged the materials heat up excessively and the watercoutent evaporates, the final product is not as homogeneous or strong, 'and a heavier pressure is required to form a finished product. Apparently the materials are slightly heated by chemical reactions of the ingredients present during the. brief mechanical mixing process. *The substance or composition obtained by the steps described is spongy and has'flufl'y qualities. and is slightly sticky when compressed in and by. the hand. Its appearance is like wet sawdust and has no tendency to stick togetherlike dough, rather the particles will spread like wet sand when thrown to the floor. After having been cooled oil to room temperature, which takes from 5 to 20 minutes, the composition is ready for use, filled into dies, and subjected to a pressure of about to 260 pounds per square inch, for a short interVaLone-half to one minute, depending upon the pressure areas of the dies. The compressed product may be removed immediately and very readily from the dies, and the product has a solid homogeneous body which is slightly resilient and elastic, but which hardens rapidly uponexposure to a dry atmosphere. "It may even be roughly treated without damage to appearance and form and even dropped to the flooras soon as removed from the dies, like soft rubber. To completely harden thepressed product it may be subjected to a dryingprocess lasting from three to five days at about 7 0 to degrees F. During such drying process the article I will shrink and lose about to 21 per cent of its weight, amounting to about the whole water content which the article'possesses when it is removed from the dies.

The dry product may be finlshed, sawed,

I shaved drilled, etc. in the same manner as natural wood, and it will not crack as the material is fully homogeneous and'without grain. The sequence of the steps described 7 during the mixture of the diiierent ingredi ents'hasbeenfound to be necessary for the best results; Aislightly inferior productmay be produced by shifting some of the steps,

but the steps of mixing the borax and 'aluin glue and 39 partsof water, in adding asoluf tion of approximately 1 part chromic acid and 1 part carbolic acidand two parts water, i i

in adding a preponderating amount of sawdust, and in mixing the said materials rapidly for a short interval.

5. An artificial wood scribed, made from a mixture of 62% saw composition as dedust, 13%70 glue,.5% borax, .5% alum, .5%

zinc oxide, .5% chromic acid, .5% carbolic acid, and 22% water. I

In testimony whereof I 'a'fiix my signature. L ISLYEZEK NY separatelyand then with ZincorJ-lead voxiideis I deemed essential to produce a homogeneous product of exceptional-good '"quality and strength.

The carbolic acid may hesubstituted by .I

equal amount of sodium fluoride,but I prefer carbolic acid, I as the product is of better qualityuan'd more easily-mixed. Sodium mixture, in adding carboiic acid and chromic fluoride necessitates specialtreatme'nt, while h ar e i m an led; more readily,v WVhatI'claimf, is:

A method or producing an artificial wood composition, consisting in'making a,

thin 's'olution of a'lum and borax; in mixing .said'solution with afzinc oxidegandlwater mixture in addlng a carhol c ac d and chro mioacid solution in mixing the whole mixture with; aviscous glue solution; inad ding sawdust tothemixtureand in mixing all said acid: solution, mixingfthe whole mixture wlth a viscous glue solut on, 1nv adding sawdlistto ture, in "mixing all saidfin gredients for a relativelyshort period, in subjecting the. resulting mixture for a short in-. terval to a pressure of about60 -260 pounds,

per square inch, andin drying theformed product.

wood: composition, consisting in making a V thin'solutionioffalum and borax, in mixing saldsolut on with a z nc oxide and-watery r m1xture,in-adding a solution ofcarbollcac d,

chromic acid andglue, and in adding saw dust and mixing the mixturefor a period of five to thirty seconds.

4 A*method of producing a artificial wood composition, consisting in dissolving equal partso fhorax and alum insubstantially two parts ofjwater, in mixing. one part of zinc oxide in substantially an equal part of water, in mixing thesaid solution and I V mixture,in adding to the, foregoing mixture a i i glue solution of approximately 27' parts of 3. A method I producing. an artificial.

compressible 

